Hi everyone!! I got the nicest visitor message from Sandy and saw that some more people had been posting in this thread. I am so touched that you guys are thinking of me and please know that I love & am thinking of you as well!!!
I'll be going to Columbia College Chicago, near Patti (and stewiesmom, who doesn't get on here much anymore, either!). I'm VERY VERY excited and pretty ready to get out of this state! hahaha. all the 'hard stuff' of senior year is done, so now we're mostly just enjoying the ride and finding some "last" thing to cry about every day.
and thank you, also, for asking about my mom. Like I told Sandy, she is doing well. She decided to not have the back surgery, because after doing research she concluded that the risks outweigh the potential helpfulness. so we're taking it a little bit at a time. She's gotten back a lot of strength that she hasn't had for a long time, so that's a great thing. and my parents are going to be moving to an apartment after I move out, so it'll be nice for her. (we've turned the dining room into a bedroom for her, because she hasn't been able to get upstairs to my parents' bedroom for a year and a half. It's totally awful). So hopefully things will keep getting better.
You get to a point where you have to stop hoping/praying for it to get better, and just pray/hope that it doesn't get worse (or if it does get worse, that you'll be able to deal with it). We're at that point now, and it actually isn't awful.
My brother left a couple weeks ago for Missouri, where he's in Basic Training for the army. We're very proud of him!
Are any of you on facebook? If you want to be my friend, PM me and I'll give you my last name! I'd love to keep in touch with everyone, but I mostly get online through my phone and YT isn't a very mobile-friendly site. :/
thank you all SO much for your love and concern. How are YOU doing? Sending love, hugs, prayers, etc., to EVERYONE!!! <3